Process of preparing hydrocarbons



Patented Feb. 19, 1 929.

UNITED STATES" P'ATENT'. OFFICE- FRANK A. HOWARD, or ELIZABETH, NEW JERSEY, ASSIGNOR T0 STANDARD 01:. im- 1 VELOPMENI COMPANY, CORPORATION OF DELAWARE.

PROCESS OF PREPARING HYDROCARBONS.

Io'Dtawing.

" This invention relates to the preparation of hydrocarbons and will be fully understood from the following description.

It has been previously proposed to make up compositions of oil and disintegrated coal or the like, but these however are inapplicable for many purposes, being relatively low in hydrogen content, and for example where distilled result in yields largely of'unsaturated compounds.

In the practice of the present invention coal is first ground to a fineness of about 100-200 mesh. I may employ for this purpose culm, slack, or other grades of coal which by reason of their fineness or high ash content are of diminished commercial value. The grinding may be accomplished by means of a tube-mill preferably in the presence of sufiicient water so that the product discharged from the tube-mill is a slurry of finely divided coal in suspension, in suificient water to make it freely mobile. The slurry thus produced is preferably levigated by imparting to it in an suitable vessel a slight upward velocity su cient to float and transport the coal partieller mixer or in which mixing is inducedy the discharge of compressed air, etc. In the course of the mixing the oil associates with the carbonaceous particles to produce a plastic mass of oil containing disseminated particles of carbonaceous material which mass floats on the water and may be separated therefrom leaving the ash principally suspended in the Water phase or at the bottom of the vessel. Additional water may be added at this stage if desired, to im rove the separation of ash particles from t e plastic mass or to facilitate removal thereof from the container. From the mixer the materials are discharged into any type of settling equipment from the bottom of which the water and-sus- Application filed May 28, 1923. Serial No. 642,085.

drawn and from the top of which theplastic' mass of oil containing disseminated-coal parresultof the treatment there described, which 1s typical of the first step of my process, there is produced a carbonaceous paste or amalgam, of any desired degree of plasticity or fluidity, depending upon the amount of oil added, and free from any high percentage of ash and from water. This carbonaceous mixture, either with or without the addition of hydrocarbon oil is subjected in a suitable container to action of hydrogen or a gas containing free hydrogen, the action being carried on under substantial pressures, for example 50-200 atmospheres. If desired a catalyst may be used, such as, for example, an'oxide of molybdenum and oxide of chromium or cadmium sulphide, but ordinarily where pressures of the order mentioned are employed special catalysts may be dispensedwith. Heat maybe used during the hydrogenation where desired; in such case, temperatures for instance around 700-1000 F., although the temperature in any instance will depend upon the particular materials treated and will vary considerably. It is advantageous to thoroughly agitate or beatthe carbonaceous and oil mixture so as to bring it well into contact with the hydrogen. The eating may be carried to such an extent as to produce a foam or emulsification of the gas and carbonaceous-oil mixture.

After treatment in such manner for several hours ordinarily, for example 3-9 hours, the products may be removed from the pressure vessel and be used as such if desired for fuel or may be mixed with other fuel oil.

Preferably however the products of the hy-" drogenation treatment are subjected to dis tillation, the distillation being carried on in the hydrogenation vessel or in asuitable still or retort to drive of]? volatile products to'the extent desired. Ordinarily there may be thus obtained yields of hydrocarbons available for motor fuel, as well as burning oils, and also' heavy hydrocarbons, together with gaseous hydrocarbons. By running the distillation at relatively hi h temperatures, yields of hydrocarbons w ich are gaseous under ordinary conditions may be increased and where yields of such products are desirable this process is advantageous in that the products so obtained tain a maximum yield of hydrocarbons for motor fuel the products arelargely of satu are largely of saturated character. In like manner also where distillation is run to obrated character hence result in low treating losses when refined according to the custom a-ry procedures.

As materials for the carbonaceous component there may be used besides the bituminous coal mentloned, coals of various character,-coky residuums, etc.-; in particular the 'coky residue left from the final distillation described above may be advantageously worked up with the oil-used in the process which comprises su jecting a carbonaceous solid containing a substantial ercentage of ash to a grinding action, touce the mixture to a fine state of subdivision, sub'ecting the ground mass to the action of a h rocarbon oil and an a ueous liquid, to pr uce separation of the bu k of the ash with the aqueous. .m

liquid','leav ing.as a residue carbonaceous material substantially devoid of ash andwetted with a hydrocarbon oil, and subjecting this last named material to the action of hydro en at an elevated temperature and at a high pressure sufiicient to" causereaction between the hydrogen and the carbonaceous mixture. 2. The process in accordance with claim 1,

in which the last-named step is conducted the presence of a hydrogenation catalyst.

3. The process in accordance with'claim 1, including the following-additional step' -subs jecting the hydrogenatedmass to distillation.

. 4:. The process in accordance with claim 1,

' includin the following additional step-sub jecting t e hydrogenated massto destructive distillation. V v

' "HOWARD. N 

